The invention relates to a rail vehicle having an electric drive with power semiconductors and a braking system operated with compressed air, wherein the power semiconductors are arranged in a housing. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a rail vehicle.
Electrical, electronic or mechanical elements and components are sensitive to humidity in the ambient air. These elements are used in a multiplicity of devices. Thus, for example, printed circuit boards of electronic devices comprise electrical or electronic elements. Persistent humidity jeopardizes these elements, resulting in their failing more frequently than elements which are operated dry. This relates to all or at least almost all electronic components and devices comprising electrical, electronic or mechanical elements.
To increase availability and reliability, and to reduce the risk of failure of a rail vehicle, it is particularly important to operate the components of the electric drive of the rail vehicle in an environment which is as dry as possible.
A particular problem arises in applications operated in environments which are not air-conditioned or which are untempered. This is particularly the case for rail vehicles. The humidity present in this environment can result in condensation and thus humidity on the elements. Likewise, a fluctuation in temperature leads to the condensation of humidity from the air on the elements. This condensation reduces the service life of the elements, resulting in their failing more frequently or earlier than elements which are operated in a dry condition. Furthermore, corrosion caused by the humidity can hinder the safe and reliable operation of these components and the rail vehicles constructed using them. Safe and reliable operation is especially necessary for rail vehicles. A failure of the electric drive can result in elaborate and costly salvage measures. Even the failure of only parts of the electric drive leads to significant delays in some instances. Due to schedule-related dependencies of various trains, the failure of parts of a drive frequently results in disturbances throughout the integrated network of the rail vehicle operator.
In tropical countries, in particular, it has proven worthwhile to install such arrangements described above in relatively airtight cabinets and/or to include drying agents in these cabinets. The drying agent must then be replaced periodically. Depending on the ambient humidity, very short replacement times of a few days may occur. This adversely affects the availability of such systems because of the consequent short maintenance intervals. At the same time, maintenance costs for the operation of these systems increase.
A method for reducing the humidity in a housing wherein compressed air is depressurized in the housing is known from the still unpublished EP 14 183 340.0.
The object of the invention is to specify a rail vehicle having a higher reliability.